Response to “Regarding observation of stethoscope sanitation practices in an emergency department setting”

Thank you, Mr. Otufowora, for your criticisms. Our goal in this study was to assess stethoscope hygiene through direct observation and thus more accurately document provider stethoscope hygiene. However, given the nature of blind observation, it is difficult to account for certain details of the observed circumstances.1.We did not observe for the use of disposable stethoscope covers, as they were not known to be available in the emergency...